As the Supreme Court weighs the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage, advocates on both sides of the issue are looking to the justices' ruling to determine whether the issue remains at the forefront of political and cultural debate — particularly within the Republican Party.
If the court rules to overturn Proposition 8, conservative opponents of same-sex marriage argue that the issue will move to the center of Republican political discourse, in much the same way that Roe vs. Wade and abortion became the party's defining wedge issue in the 1980s and '90s.
"It strikes me that what we have right now is exactly what the genius of our federal system was designed to provide — a broad range of local solutions and arrangements to what is a contentious issue," said evangelical operative Ralph Reed, who leads the Faith and Freedom Coalition.
"If the court were to go to the most extreme case and strike down 41 state laws defining marriage as between a man and a woman by an act of judicial fiat, I think it will further polarize our politics, it will undermine the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, and it will likely spark a marriage equivalent of the pro-life movement that will spend decades trying to reverse the decision," Reed said.
A national debate about gay marriage would be the worst-case scenario for the Republican Party as it moves to sideline social issues in an attempt to broaden its appeal to a wider swath of voters.
The problem for the GOP is borne out in recent polling. A Pew poll released last week found that while support for gay marriage is growing among the general public — 48 percent of Americans now approve of gay marriage, up from 38 percent in 2003 — white evangelicals remain staunchly opposed, with only 19 percent expressing support for gay marriage. The divide is also apparent among younger evangelicals, with 65 percent of those under 25 opposed to gay marriage and 30 percent supporting it.
Nowhere is this issue more salient for the GOP than in Iowa, a key early voting state where conservative white evangelicals play a major role in determining the Republican presidential nominee.
"If you're running for president in 2016 and you don't want to have to talk about these issues, you're certainly going to hope that the Supreme Court doesn't overextend its jurisdiction," said Steve Deace, an influential conservative Iowa talk radio host. "Because if it does, you're going to see an entire presidential primary defined by this issue."
"This idea that some people have that the court is going to settle the issue in the Republican Party — it's going to do the exact opposite," Deace added. "It's going to raise the issue to Orange Threat Level, it'll be DEFCON 6…It will become the defining litmus test."
"All these pro-family groups, all of these people have invested decades in this fight, they've invested lots of human resources and human capital, they are not all going to throw up their hands," Deace said. "They're going to double down, it's going to be even nastier, it will be an even more defined issue."
Regardless of how the court decides on Proposition 8, however, conservatives say that the issue is likely to continue to divide the GOP, pitting social conservatives against the party's more moderate Establishment leaders.
"On a national level if the issue fades away for the Republican Party, they are going to lose tons of conservatives," said Matt Floyd, an Iowa pastor who leads the lobbying group Conservative Christians for America. "I think it will galvanize conservatives and you'll see them link up."
(more at link)

No it won't. Even far right-wing nuts like Jonah Golberg are declaring some support for marriage equality these days. This article is bullshit. Repukes see that there's nothing to gain from dragging this out, and they'd rather focus on abortion and privatizing Social Security.

FWIW, DEFCON 1 is the highest level of distress, DEFCON 5 is the lowest. So DEFCON 6 would be peace, rainbows and happy hour.

More ignorant silliness from Conservatives, showing just how stupid they really are.
Exactly, R2.

Bring it, at whatever DEFCON level they prefer. The reality has changed - opposing gay marriage is only going to hurt them, which is why they are this level of desperation.

Ralph Reed? That queen?

The accelerating acceptance in our favor is due to two reasons:
1. Gay people coming out
2. How absolutely nuts these conservative idiots sound.

Prop 8 is dead. The only question is the impact on other states. The consensus seems to be that the Court will vacate the 9th Circuit decision on the grounds of standing, leaving the original District Court opinion in effect. That means the decision will only affect California.

An orange threat level means a "high risk of terrorist attacks." Who are the terrorists here?

BRING IT!! Even evangelical youth are beginning to support us... there's no turning back!! EQUALITY isn't too much to ask for!!

So in their minds, 'murdering a baby' is on the same level as two consenting adults marrying one another.
These people are the biggest bunch of wimps around.

My super evangelical Pentecostal 22-year old cousin posted a Facebook status today in support of marriage equality. I was happily shocked.

I'm returning all my DEFCON rat poisoning. I don't want any products in my house that has ties to rethuglicans. I have more respect for my house mouses than any rethuglican.

Wouldn't have it been a kick to be in the room when Maggie Gallagher and Bryan Brown heard Limbaugh's statement?

The thing is, DOMA is not the last word on the subject. It will be overturned. But the California case is really the one to watch.

What do they mean anyway. They're going to set off a nuclear bomb in Wilton Manor?

You don't wanna let this monkey out of the cage by legalizing gay marriage today. The letters and opinion sections of of your favorite newspapers will be flooded with the ramblings of the feeble minded for decades to come. In 40 year, there will be old people with dementia calling for traditional marriage in town halls all over the Midwest.

Who are they kidding? Gay marriage has been a wedge issue for them since the mid-90's. How do you think DOMA came about anyway?

We appreciate that, R16

The Christmas Mouse, awaiting spring weather .....

If the Supremes "force" gay marriage on the people, the conservative backlash will be a constitutional amendment defining marriage as 1 man and 1 woman for the entire country.
And yes, they do have enough states to pass it.

R24 I dont think you understand how long it takes to get a constitutional amendment passed. In most cases, it takes years. Considering that right now the majority of Americans support gay marriage, it is extremely doubtful such an effort would every get far in the future when, as the trend indicates, even more people will support it.

They could get a fast track if they claim that the states which have already passed antigay constitutional amendments have therefore endorsed a Federal Marriage Amendment. I don't think that's true, or that they all would if asked to vote now, but I certainly can foresee a GOP administration, conservative justices, and a conservative Congress trying to push something like this.

Article V of the Constitution prescribes how an amendment can become a part of the Constitution. While there are two ways, only one has ever been used. All 27 Amendments have been ratified after two-thirds of the House and Senate approve of the proposal and send it to the states for a vote. Then, three-fourths of the states must affirm the proposed Amendment.
The other method of passing an amendment requires a Constitutional Convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the States. That Convention can propose as many amendments as it deems necessary. Those amendments must be approved by three-fourths of the states.

r23, if so, where the constitutional amendment banning abortion

r23 is an IDIOT of the highest order.
Just plain stupid. Wow.

[quote]If the Supremes "force" gay marriage on the people, the conservative backlash will be a constitutional amendment defining marriage as 1 man and 1 woman for the entire country.
They don't have the power to do that, dumbass.
F&F

And, in turn, wouldn't that fantasy Ammendment be declared unconstitutional? R23, you make no sense.

Meanwhile, Uruguayan lawmakers approve legalizing gay marriage....

[quote]but I certainly can foresee a GOP administration, conservative justices, and a conservative Congress trying to push something like this.
There is no Conservative government, pig shit!
Liberal justices are on the way. We have a Dem president, Dem Senate,and Dems winning states all over the country.
You're a Freeper shitstain.

[quote]The Supremes
Oh, dear.

r23 doesn't want marriage equality. Flag it.

[quote]You don't wanna let this monkey out of the cage by legalizing gay marriage today. The letters and opinion sections of of your favorite newspapers will be flooded with the ramblings of the feeble minded for decades to come. In 40 year, there will be old people with dementia calling for traditional marriage in town halls all over the Midwest.
F&F

The only way conservatives stay in gov't is through their gerry-mandered House seats. That's why they're so tone deaf. Conservatives will be out of the WH for the next 10 years at least. And with the baby boomer shuffle off this mortal coil they may never recover. They haven't quite come to terms with that statistical inevitability.

Don't generalize about the boomers, R37. I happen to be one of them and know countless others. I don't know of one who votes for the Repugs. In fact, quite the contrary.

The Republicans will never stop trying to take us back to the 1950's,just like the Democrats will never stop trying to take us to Bleeding-Heartsville,a wondrous land of happy homos,whip-cracking feminists,pompous-ass blacks and straight-white males in dog-chains with their dominatrixes,but I do think if two people want to get married,the Bible-Belt should go lock themselves in their closets,keep pretending they don't masturbate to Jimmy Swaggart and leave people alone to do what they want to do.They don't have to attend gay weddings,just don't try to crash them.Its not their immortal souls they think God's gonna send to Hell!If somebody wants you to "save" them,they'll come to you.Maybe if they'd shut up all along, a straight man wouldn't have to feel like a criminal just for finding a woman attractive!Welcome to the American Empire of the 21st century!

JETT

A constitutional Amendment cannot be ruled unconstitutional.
It becomes part of the constitution.
The Supreme Court would have nothing to do with it.

I so want to go to war with these assholes. I want the Second Civil War. There, I said it. It's heading to a point of no return. I believe completely that there are two very distinctly different Americas that can no longer live in coexistence.

I have truly come to the terrifying conclusion that most of the leadership of the anti-gay movement are indeed deeply closeted gay men themselves. That idea scares me in that it is our very own "kind" that is hurting us the most.
I just remember when I was deeply closeted in high school and I would make fun of the flamboyant boy to try to shake the other straight guys off my trail. I was afraid of anyone knowing I was gay so I would say I hated gay people. I have since gotten in contact with that person through Facebook a few years ago, met up with him and apologized profusely for my asshole behavior. He forgave me and we're friends today.
The difference between me and these people though is that my bullying was focused in high school bullshit while these people have real power to effect and harm us all.
In that vein, I wish there was a militant vigilante group that was committed to outing these bastards. ACT-UP got a lot of flack for outing people against their will but in retrospect it was a pretty genius thing to do. Thank the universe for Larry Kramer and Peter Staley!